Perhaps I should be ashamed, embarrassed even by the decline of my daily hygiene habit since the COVID-19 shelter in place order. At any hour of the day, I can be found in an odd get-up, my robe, a pajama top, a pair of my son’s old boxers I wear like shorts or workout clothes. That does not mean I moved my body, it means I had an intention.  During this time of year when spring temperatures warm one day, and fall like temps chill the next, I have repurposed an old purple three-piece, pant, cami, and jacket valor set – it is my new lounge daywear.

With showering optional, my teeth have on average been brushed once daily and my face the same. The routine has just fallen away – I have nowhere to go. I have been able to put on a face for various ZOOM or WebEx meetings. I like the no video option, participant movements and my odd glances and reactions do not distract. I can walk around freely not worried about what is on my bottom. Who needs to see me in my bed-head hat, maybe-washed-face, and baggy sweatshirt sans bra? Oh, the comforts of home.

Have I rationalized my new style of relaxed fashion and hygiene because I am unseen, cloistered at home? Have I discovered latent naturalist tendencies? It all seems rather easy, who needs clothing? And COVID-19 weight gain makes clothing optional a perfect resolution.

Recently I put on a dress for a ZOOM face-to-face celebration – it fits (relief), and I bought another, size medium, it fits (relief, relief), but it will hang better when I get off the weight I have put on. I cannot blame the virus for all of the pounds. I haven’t dropped the weight post toe surgery – now a year ago, post-holiday, now six months ago. I am running out of excuses. I have the thickums. A delightful word used by a fellow in my FB runners group. I wish I could report weight loss, but I have not done well in terms of portion control. One does not need to eat a bag of Cheetos – the kind of bag portioned for sharing.

One good thing I have managed is to get back to is running in preparation for our June race now postponed for a year. I set a low, how low can you go May mileage goal – 13 miles. I have never set that sort of challenge. I ran 23.9 miles in May. My time is improving and I started faster than I did when I began running. I am proud of this accomplishment despite arthritis from my neck to knees and some other health challenges, I am moving! On running days I usually change into a top and some stretch pants. No bra of course.

Wearing a bra feels tortuous, my rib cage pressed on all sides by spandex and wire uplift. Who needs lift and separation? Breasts naturally droop and sag, gravity. And these days, the breast appears somewhat liberated. If the nipple is covered, still too sexualized an appendage, breasts can be free. Note, real breasts bounce and fall to the side when you lie on your back or flatten – they do not stand in salute. It is natural they plunge and slope – that sounds a nicer description than droop.

I am grateful for being able to work, and I am rather busy. ZOOM Fatigue is real. I have tuned out with Netflix, Amazon Prime, baked every sweet treat my son has requested, enjoyed yard work, and kept my personality mostly intact – I have not hurt anyone!

If you come to visit and I have not yet reentered the post-COVID-19 world, pardon me, I will go and put something on!